Seating accessory

ABSTRACT

A seating pad assembly is provided for use by travelers to increase the comfort for a seat on a public transportation vehicle or at a public transit terminal. The seating pad assembly includes a cushion formed from a viscoelastic foam and having dimensions substantially conforming to the dimensions of at least the hip/thigh support and the back support of the seat. Thus, the viscoelastic foam will bridge hard points and pinch points of the seat and will efficiently support the traveler across the gap. The seating pad assembly further includes a removable cover, straps for holding the pad in a coiled condition and a carrying bag for transporting the pad assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an accessory to make a vehicle seat morecomfortable.

2. Description of the Related Art

Travel on public transportation, such as planes, trains and buses, israrely comfortable and can be extremely uncomfortable on long trips. Thelength of time after which a seat will be considered comfortable varieswidely based on the characteristics of the seat and sensitivity of thetraveler. Many travelers become extremely uncomfortable after an hour ortwo on a transportation seat, especially since seats intended forshorter trips generally do not recline or recline only a small amount.On the other hand, intercontinental flights can last in excess of twelvehours and are common for many business people. Most business travelershave little time for recovery at either end of a business trip, and areexpected to be alert and functioning for a business meeting shortlyafter their arrival. Vacation travelers suffer from the sameinconveniences as business travelers and are likely to require aconsiderable recovery time before being able to enjoy the vacation.Uncomfortable travel is not limited to airlines. In particular, trips ona train or bus can take longer than an intercontinental airline trip.Travel related discomfort also is not limited to the time spent on thevehicle. More particularly, travelers often spend hours in veryuncomfortable seats at an airline, train or bus terminal while they arewaiting for a transfer or a delayed departure. Seats at a terminal oftenare less comfortable than seats on a plane, train or bus. For example,terminal seats often have a large gap between the hip/thigh support andthe back support and may be formed from a hard rigid plastic.

Most long distance travelers take steps to minimize the discomfort andinconveniences of travel. For example, some long distance travelersadapt a regimen of sleeping, eating and drinking for several days priorto a trip in an effort to make the travel more comfortable. Longdistance travelers also may adopt specific regimens during the flight inan effort to minimize discomfort. For example, many travelers utilizesleep-inducing medication either shortly before the start of a trip orpartway into the trip. Airline personnel frequently distribute pillows,blankets, slippers and eye shades a short time into the flight.

The seats on planes and surface vehicles intended for long distancetravel recline to enhance comfort. Most airlines and trains providedifferent levels of seating that are offered at different costs.Business class seats generally are wider than coach seats and generallyrecline more. First class seats may be wider still, and some first classseats recline to a full horizontal position. However, all recliningseats necessary include several movable components that enable the seatto be adjusted between a fully erect condition and at least a partlyreclined condition. FIGS. 1 through 3 show a typical prior art airlineseat similar to those used in business class or first class sections ofa airplane. The prior art seat is identified generally by the numeral100 in FIGS. 1 through 3 and includes a hip/thigh support 102 disposedbetween arm rests 104. The hip/thigh support 102 of the prior art seat100 has a width “w” of between about 18 inches and 27 inches, dependingon the airline and the class of service (i.e. coach, business or firstclass). A back support 106 is hinged to the hip/thigh support 102 andcan move between a substantially erect condition, as shown in FIG. 1,and a partly reclined position, as shown in FIG. 2. A fully reclinedposition, as shown in FIG. 3, is provided for first class seats on someairlines. The typical prior art seat 100 has a length “l” of betweenabout 70 inches and 76 inches. A gap 108 necessarily is provided betweenthese two hinged supports 102 and 106 to accommodate the relativemovement. The seat 100 also may have a foot rest 110 that is hingedrelative to the hip/thigh support 102, and a similar gap 112 existsbetween the hip/thigh support 102 and the foot rest 110. Furthermore,other cracks, creases and seams 114, 116, 118 and 120 exist at otherlocations on the hip/thigh support 102 and the back support 106. Stillother structurally uneven areas (e.g. frame members and other structuralsupports) exist beneath the cover of the seat 100, and contribute topassenger discomfort even though they are not visible. The gaps 108 and112 and other cracks, creases and seams 114-120 may be barely noticeableon a short trip. However, the gaps 108, 112 and other cracks, creasesand seams 114-120 that are wider than about 1 cm and/or deeper thanabout 1 cm become very bothersome on long trips. In this regard, thegaps 108, 112 and other significant surface discontinuities 114-120define pinch points into which bodily tissue will be squeezed due to theweight of the body. Pressure on the body at these pinch points may behigher, thereby impeding blood flow and creating discomfort at and nearthe surface of the skin. Long distance travelers frequently move andshift their bodily weight to reduce discomfort. However, such movementcreates pulling and friction as the bodily tissue is extracted from thepinch points and as new areas of bodily tissue are urged into the pinchpoints. Furthermore, all vehicles vibrate during movement, and thevibration contributes significantly to discomfort generated at the pinchpoints even when the passenger does not attempt to move voluntarily.

The seat covers on most public transportation seats are designed to bedurable and easily cleaned. These requirements often compete with thepassenger's desire for comfort. A fabric that will last long and cleaneasily often is not comfortable for an extended period of time. Manypublic transportation seats are designed to provide a pronounced andsomewhat rigid lumber support to align with the lower back and a bulginghead support near the top end of the back rest. These features often addto comfort when the passenger is sitting in an erect position. However,these same features contribute to discomfort when the passenger reclinesthe seat for sleep.

Virtually all public transportation seats include arm rests and someinclude forwardly projecting privacy wing on opposite sides of the backrest. The arm rest and wings are intended to prevent intrusion by anadjacent passenger. These fairly rigid and highly function componentscan lead to discomfort when the seat is reclined so that the passengercan sleep.

The prior art include many types of formed pillows that are intended tosupport certain areas of the body. For example, U-shaped pillows areused to support the back of the neck. Other uniquely configured pillowsare intended to support the feet, the rear side of the knees or areasbetween the knees.

Generally rectangular mats are used in many Asian cultures for sleepingor for performing Yoga. These mats tend to be formed from thinrelatively inelastic materials that are not suitable for bodycushioning. Mats of this type generally have length and width dimensionscorresponding approximately to the length and width dimensions of a bed.The mats typically are sufficiently flexible to be folded or rolled forstorage between uses.

Viscoelastic materials and memory foam are terms used to define avariety of open cell flexible polyurethane foams, and have been used formattresses, mattress toppers and pillows for years. More particularly,the lower surface of the viscoelastic foam will be placed on a generallyflat horizontal supporting surface, such as a box spring or mattress.The upper surface of the viscoelastic foam will mold closely to thecontour of an object or body placed thereon. The viscoelastic foam thenwill return slowly to an undeformed shape when the object or body isremoved or repositioned. In contrast, conventional foamed rubber willcompress quickly in response to an applied load and will return quicklyupon removal of the load. Furthermore, the compressed conventionalfoamed rubber will not conform to the shape of the applied load and willnot distribute forces of the applied load. Viscoelastics have not beenused in public transportation seating, presumably in view of costconsiderations and yield characteristics that are not conducive torequirements for a public transportation seat in the normally erectorientation.

In view of the above, it is object of the subject invention to provideimprovements to the comfort for public transit seating, particularlyseating intended for long distance travel.

It is a further object of the subject invention to provide a publictransportation seating improvement well suited for use and carrying by atraveler.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a seating pad assembly for use with a publictransportation seat and to the combination of a seating pad assembly anda public transportation seat. The invention also relates to a method forenhancing the comfort of a public transportation seat. The publictransportation seat preferably is an airline seat, but may also be aseat employed on trains, buses and other land vehicles. The seatincludes a generally horizontal hip and thigh support and a seat backpivotally mounted to the hip and thigh support. The seat may furtherinclude a foot rest. The seat back and/or the foot rest preferably aremounted for pivoting relative to the hip and thigh support. Accordingly,seams, cracks, creases, gaps or spaces exist between the foot rest andthe hip/thigh support and between the back rest and the hip/thighsupport. Some of these gaps exceed 1 cm in width and/or depth. The seatmay further include arm rests spaced from one another by approximatelythe width of the seat. The spacing between the arm rests, and hence thewidth of the seat, may vary in accordance with the mode oftransportation and the class of service. The seat may further includesafety belts for securing the passenger in the seat.

The seating pad assembly may be generally rectangular and preferably hasa width corresponding approximately to the width of the seat. The widthof the seating pad assembly preferably is selected in accordance withthe class of travel. For example, a seating pad assembly for economytravel preferably is about sixteen inches wide, while a seating padassembly for business or first class travel preferably is about twentyinches wide. The seating pad assembly also preferably has a lengthapproximately equal to the sum of the length of the hip/thigh supportand the length of the back support, particularly for coach class travel.Specifically, the seating pad assembly for economy class travelpreferably is at least about 42 inches long and preferably about 47inches long. Additionally, the seating pad assembly may include a footrest extension with a length approximately equal to the length of thefoot rest on the public transit seat and particularly for business orfirst class airline seats. Specifically, the seating pad assembly forbusiness or first class travel preferably is about 60 inches long andpreferably about 72 inches long. Additionally, the seating pad assemblypreferably has a thickness of between 1.0-2.0 inch, and most preferablyabout 1.00 inch.

The seating pad assembly comprises a substantially rectangular cushionthat preferably consists of viscoelastic material. The viscoelasticcushion preferably has width, length and thickness dimensionscorresponding to the overall width, length and thickness dimensions forthe assembly, as set forth above. Additionally, the viscoelastic cushionpreferably has a density and hardness or firmness to support a travelercomfortably across all locations on the seat, including across theseams, gaps and other pinch points between adjacent movable parts of theseat, including those that are at least 1 cm across and at least 1 cmdeep. In this regard, the density, firmness, resiliency and thickness ofthe viscoelastic cushion are selected so that lower areas of theviscoelastic cushion will flow into and conform to the gaps and otherpinch points, thereby creating a substantially smooth surface forsupporting the traveler. Furthermore, these density, firmness,resiliency and thickness characteristics of the viscoelastic cushion areselected to ensure that the weight of the traveler will be distributedand supported by upper parts of the viscoelastic cushion without abottoming out that would occur if the viscoelastic cushion was deformedmaximally. Thus, the viscoelastic cushion isolates the traveler from thebothersome pinch points. Furthermore, the viscoelastic material isextremely effective at absorbing the vibrations that are inherent invehicular travel, and hence isolates the traveler from those vibrations.As noted above, vibrations contribute to discomfort, particularly nearthe pinch points formed in the seat.

The seating pad assembly further includes a cover assembly mounted overthe viscoelastic cushion. At least a portion of the cover assemblypreferably is removable for laundering or replacement. The coverassembly preferably is stretchable or sufficiently loose to deformeasily into gaps or other pinch points defined in the seat. Thus, thecover assembly will not restrict or limit the ability of theviscoelastic material to flow or otherwise conform to the shapes of theseat and the traveler, and the nonrestrictive cover assembly will moveeasily with the viscoelastic material as the viscoelastic materialchanges its shape. The cover assembly preferably includes an innerscreen layer preferably formed from a synthetic material, such as nylonthat contributes to the protection and support of the viscoelasticcushion. The inner screen layer need not be removable. The coverassembly also preferably includes an inner protective cover that may befluid resistant, stain resistant, antimicrobial and/or moisture wicking.The inner protective cover prevents permanent damage to the viscoelasticpad. Preferably, the inner cover has a zipper or other closure means topermit the inner cover to be removed from the viscoelastic pad forlaundering or replacement. The cover assembly also includes an outercover that preferably is formed from a material that is fluid resistant,stain resistant antimicrobial and moisture wicking. Additionally, theouter cover is formed from a material, such as cotton or a brushedsynthetic fabric that will be comfortable to the passenger. In someinstances, the cover may be imprinted or embroidered with indicia toidentify an airline or other public transit provider or to identify theowner or source of the seating pad assembly. The outer cover also has azipper or other closure means to permit the outer cover to be removedfor laundering or replacement. The closure for the outer cover may beoffset from the closure for the inner cover. The outer cover also mayinclude a strap for releasably securing the seating pad assembly in arolled condition for easy storage and carrying through an airport orother transit terminal. The strap also can be used to hold the seatingpad assembly on a seat.

The seating pad assembly may include means for releasable attachment tothe public transportation seat. For example, a snapped attachment can beprovided for releasable engagement with snaps provided on the top of theseat back. In other situations, the seating pad assembly may be providedwith notches or apertures for receiving a seat belt.

The seating pad assembly may further include or may be used with acarrying bag. The carrying bag has a selectively closable end. Theselectively closable end may have a flap, a draw string or the like. Thecarrying bag may further include a strap or a loop to carry the bag overthe shoulder or to facilitate mounting and transportation of the bag andseating pad assembly on a rolling piece of luggage or to a backpack.

The seating pad assembly can be transported to an airport, train stationor the like by a passenger. The passenger need merely remove the seatingpad assembly from the bag and position the seating pad assembly on theseat before the person sits down. Thus, the seating pad assembly is notone of the pieces of carry-on luggage that must be stored in an overheadcompartment. The passenger then can assume a normal sitting posture tohold the pad in place. Controls on the seat can be utilized to move theseat into a reclined condition at an appropriate time during the trip,if desired and if such controls are available. The seating pad assemblywill extend continuously across seams and/or creases between the movableparts of the seat and will conform to the shapes of both the seat andthe passenger to maximize comfort. The cover assembly will not restrictthe flowing deformation of the viscoelastic material, and hence thecover will not affect the conformal characteristics of both the upperand lower areas of the viscoelastic material. Additionally, the seatingpad assembly can be dimensioned to provide lateral support between thepassenger and arm rests.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art seat in an erect condition.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the prior art seat in a partly reclinedcondition.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the prior art seat in a fully reclinedcondition.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view, partly in section, of a seating padassembly in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an end portion of the seating padassembly with the outer cover removed.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a side portion of the seating padassembly showing the zipper closure for the outer cover.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a corner of the seating pad assembly andshowing one of the closure straps in an extended condition.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a corner of the seating padassembly and showing the extended closure strap.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the seating pad assembly in a partlyrolled condition.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the seating pad assembly in a fullyrolled condition for storage.

FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of a carrying bag for use with therolled seating pad assembly of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the rolled seating pad assembly storedin the carrying bag of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a person carrying the rolled seatingpad assembly stored in the carrying bag.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the rolled seating pad assembly storedin the carrying bag and secured on a piece of rolling luggage.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the seating pad assembly of FIGS. 5-11positioned on the fully erect airline seat of FIG. 1.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the seating pad assembly of FIGS. 5-11positioned on the partly reclined airline seat of FIG. 2.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the seating pad assembly of FIGS. 5-11positioned on the fully relined airline seat of FIG. 3.

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 19-19 in FIG. 18.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A seating pad assembly in accordance with the subject invention isidentified generally by the numeral 10 in FIGS. 5 through 12. Theseating pad assembly includes 10 an inner viscoelastic foam cushion 12formed from and consisting essentially of a viscoelastic material, suchas those that are available from several commercial sources, includingTEMPUR-PEDIC. The seating pad assembly 10 is generally rectangular andhas a length L and a width W as shown in FIG. 4. The length and widthdimensions L and W will vary in accordance with the class of service forwhich the seating pad assembly 10 is being marketed. In particular,first class airline seats often are wider than business class and someseats include footrests that extend longitudinally as the seat isreclined. In a preferred embodiment, the seating pad assembly 10 has awidth W of approximately 16 inches for economy class seats andapproximately 20 inches for business or first class seats. These widthsenable the seating pad assembly 10 to occupy a major portion of thewidth “w” of the targeted seat. However, other seating pad assemblies 10may be slightly narrower or slightly wider. The length L of the seatingpad assembly 10 also will vary in accordance with the class of travelservice for which the seating pad assembly 10 is purchased and marketed.In a preferred embodiment, the seating pad assembly 10 has a length L ofapproximately 42 inches for economy class seats, a length L ofapproximately 47 inches for business class seats and a length L ofapproximately 60 inches to 72 inches for first class seats. However,seating pad assemblies 10 with a length L as small as about 40 incheswill achieve many of the benefits described herein, particularly forshort trips where the seat does not recline and with respect to the mostobjectionable gap 108 between the hip/thigh support 102 and the backsupport 106 of the prior art seat 100.

The viscoelastic inner cushion 12 of the seating pad assembly 10 has athickness “T” as shown in FIG. 5. The thickness “T” preferably is in therange of 1.0-1.5 inch, and most preferably is approximately 1.0 inch tofacilitate storage and carrying. However, the ability of the innercushion 12 to be transported easily and to provide the necessary comfortfor long distance travel also depends on the density of the viscoelasticfoam. A viscoelastic foam with a density of 3 lbs/cubic foot to 8lbs/per cubic foot and a thickness T of 1.0-1.5 inch has been found toprovide comfortable support across the gaps 108 and other surfacediscontinuities of the prior art airline seat while still being easilytransportable. However, a viscoelastic inner cushion 12 with a densityof 5 lbs/cubic foot and a thickness T of 1.0 inch has been found toprovide very good levels of comfort and very desirable storage andcarrying characteristics, as explained herein. The viscoelastic innercushion 12 also should have a firmness that permits the viscoelasticinner cushion 12 to conform to the shape of the seat 100 and to thepassenger without bottoming out. Thus, the viscoelastic cushion 12 willredistribute the weight and surface pressure of the passenger.

The seating pad assembly 10 further includes a cover assembly 14 thatsubstantially completely encloses the viscoelastic cushion 12. In thisregard, the viscoelastic foam material of the cushion 12 is notcomfortable for direct long term contact by the traveler. Additionally,the viscoelastic foam of the cushion 12 is not well suited for soil orstain resistance and could become unsightly after several uses.Furthermore, viscoelastic foam cushions are not aestheticallyattractive, even when clean. The cover assembly 14, on the other hand,can be made from relatively inexpensive materials that are comfortablefor direct long term contact by the traveler.

The cover assembly 14 includes an inner screen layer 15 that completelysurrounds the viscoelastic cushion 12. The inner screen layer 15preferably is a thin gauge mesh formed from synthetic fibers, such asnylon, that will protect the viscoelastic cushion 12 when other parts ofthe cover assembly 14 are removed for cleaning, maintenance orreplacement. Additionally, the inner screen layer 15 is stretchableand/or sufficiently loose to permit substantially unrestricteddeformation and/or flow of the viscoelastic cushion 12 into the pinchpoints on the seat 100.

The cover assembly 14 further includes an inner cover 16 removablymounted over the inner screen layer 15 and the viscoelastic cushion 12.The inner cover 16 is formed from a fluid resistant, stain resistantmaterial with moisture wicking and antimicrobial characteristics such asa stretchable knitted fabric made from a blend of cotton and syntheticfabric. Additionally, the inner cover 16 includes an inner closure 16 z,such as a zipper, that extends across one end edge and adjacent sideedges of the inner cover 16. The inner closure 16 z enables the innercover 16 to be separated from the viscoelastic cushion 12 for cleaning,maintenance or replacement.

The cover assembly 14 further includes an outer cover 18 that isremovably mounted over the inner cover 16. The outer cover 18 is formedfrom a fluid resistant, stain resistant material with moisture wickingand antimicrobial characteristics. For example, the outer cover 14 canbe formed from a stretchable woven cotton fabric (300-1000 thread count)or a brush knit fabric that is soft to the touch and comfortable evenafter a long term of contact. More particularly, the outer cover 14 canbe formed from materials that are commonly used on bed sheets.Furthermore, the outer cover 14 can be made aesthetically attractive andcan be printed with indicia to identify the owner of the cushion or topromote a particular trademark. For example, the indicia can be the nameof an airline that sells the pad assembly 10 to frequent travelers.Alternatively, the indicia can be the trademark of the employer of thetraveler.

The outer cover 18 includes an outer closure 18 z, such as a zipper,that extends along a major part of one side edge of the outer cover 18.The outer closure 18 z enables the outer cover 18 to be separated fromthe viscoelastic cushion 12 and the inner closure 16 for cleaning,maintenance or replacement.

Two straps 20 are secured to portions of the outer cover 17 adjacent onelongitudinal end and extend longitudinally beyond the outer cover 18, asshown most clearly in FIGS. 8-10. Portions of each strap 20 sewn orotherwise secured to the outer cover 18 have an array of Velcro loops 22facing away from the outer cover 18. A mating array of Velcro hooks 24are provided on the opposite side of each strap 20 at the end of thestrap 20 remote from the outer cover 18. The straps 20 enable theseating pad assembly 10 to be secured in the rolled configuration ofFIG. 11.

The seating pad assembly 10 also can be used with a carrying bag 30, asshown in FIGS. 12-15. The carrying bag 30 has a closed bottom end 32 andan open top end 34. A draw string 36 is incorporated into a hem adjacentthe open top end 34. The carrying bag 30 also includes a carrying strap38. In the collapsed condition shown in FIG. 12, the carrying bag 30 isa generally flat rectangle. However, the carrying bag 30 can be openedto receive the seating pad assembly 10 that has been rolled into thecoil shown in FIG. 11. This combination of the seating pad assembly 10and the carrying bag 30 is illustrated in FIG. 13. The carrying strap 38can be suspended from the shoulder of the traveler while travelingbetween flights or destinations, as shown in FIG. 14. Alternatively, thecarrying strap 38 can be looped over the handle of a roll-on piece ofluggage, as shown in FIG. 15 or can be attached to a backpack. A pocketcan be provided in the carrying bag 30 to carry travel documents,identification cards or the like.

The seating pad assembly 10 is used by opening the draw string 28 nearthe top 26 of the carrying bag 22 and removing the rolled seating padassembly 10 from the carrying bag 22. The straps 20 then are opened andthe seating pad assembly 10 is unrolled from the FIG. 10 condition tothe FIG. 4 condition. The open seating pad assembly 10 then is placed onthe seat 100 substantially as shown in FIG. 15-17 before the travelersits down. Thus, the seating pad assembly 10 is not part of the carry onluggage that must be stowed, and effectively becomes a temporary part ofthe seat 100. One longitudinal end the seating pad assembly 10 ispositioned near the top of the seat back support 106. The remainder ofthe seating pad assembly 10 extends from the top of the back support 106across the gap 108 between the hip/thigh support 102 and the backsupport 106 and towards or to the leg rest 110. The extent of theseating pad assembly 10 to or towards the leg rest 110 will depend uponthe overall length L of the pad assembly 10 relative to the length “l”of the seat 100. In preferred embodiments, the seating pad assembly 10will be sufficiently long to extend completely to the end of the legrest 110 farthest from the hip/thigh support 102. Some seats 100 have afootrest 114 that telescopes or otherwise extends longitudinally awayfrom the hip/thigh support 102 as the seat 100 is moved into the fullyreclined condition. In this situation, one longitudinal end portion ofthe seating pad assembly 10 may be tucked between the remainder of theseating pad assembly 10 and the leg rest 110 to define a flap 34, asshown in FIGS. 15 and 16. However, the flap 34 can be unfolded as theseat 100 moves into the fully reclined condition shown most clearly inFIG. 17 so that the flap 34 can be disposed on the footrest 114.

As noted above, the width W of the seating pad assembly 10 preferably isin the range of 16-20 inches, and hence will fit conveniently betweenthe armrests 104 of the seat 100 without creating potentiallyobjectionable bulges or bumps.

The seating pad assembly 10 extends continuously across theobjectionable gap 108 between the hip/thigh support 102 and the backsupport 106. The viscoelastic cushion 12 responds to both ambienttemperature (60-75 F) and body temperature for conforming to the shapeof the passenger for providing three dimensional support for thepassenger when the seat is erect, partially reclined and fully reclined.The thickness T of the viscoelastic cushion 12 and the density andfirmness of the viscoelastic foam of the cushion 12 enable the travelerto be supported comfortably across rigid structures in the seat 100, aswell as across the gap 108 between the hip/thigh support 102 and theback support 106. Thus, the conformal nature of the viscoelastic cushion12 avoids the objectionable sensations caused by the gap 108 when atraveler is sitting erect or attempting to relax in the reclinedcondition of the seat 100, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17. Furthermore, theviscoelastic foam of the cushion 12 is extremely effective at absorbingtravel-related vibrations and associated micromovements of the seat 100and the passenger. These vibration-related micromovements contributesignificantly to passenger discomfort and are dampened very effectivelyby the viscoelastic cushion 12.

The ability of the seating pad assembly 10 to achieve these objectivesis dependent partly upon the thickness T and the characteristics of theviscoelastic cushion 12. As explained above, the preferred cushion 12 isformed from a viscoelastic foam with a density in the range of 50-120kg/m³, with a preferred density of about 85 kg/m³. Additionally, thepreferred viscoelastic material has a hardness or firmness of about 10N. Viscoelastic materials with these specifications and with a thicknessT of about 1 inch have proven to provide high levels of comfort withlittle or no sensory evidence of the gap 108, hard structural supportsof the seat 100 or the vibrations of the vehicle regardless of whetherthe seat 100 is erect, reclined or partly reclined. In this regard, thedensity, firmness, resiliency and thickness of the viscoelastic cushion12 enable lower surface 12L of the viscoelastic cushion 12 to flow intoand conform to the gap 108 and other pinch points, as shown in FIG. 19,thereby creating a convex lower conformal area 12LC and a substantiallysmooth uniform upper surface 12U for facing the traveler. The coverassembly is sufficiently stretchable and/or loose to permit theviscoelastic material 12 to flow or conform substantially unimpeded intothe potential pinch points and around hard points. Furthermore, thedensity, hardness, firmness, resiliency and thickness characteristics ofthe viscoelastic cushion 12 ensure that weight of the traveler willcreate a concave upper conformal area 12UC that will be spaced above thelower surface 12L, above the supports 102, 106 and above the pinch pointdefined by the gap 108. Additionally, the weight of the traveler will bedistributed and supported by upper parts of the viscoelastic cushion 12without a bottoming out that would occur if the viscoelastic cushion 12had a thickness, density, hardness and/or resiliency to be deformedmaximally. Thus, deformation of the top and bottom surfaces of theviscoelastic cushion 12 assures optimum support and weight distributionand isolates the traveler from the bothersome pinch points and hardpoints. Accordingly, the traveler can changed positions withoutdisengaging tissue that would otherwise have been squeezed into the gapsand other pinch points. Still further, the three dimensional support ofthe traveler achieved by the viscoelastic cushion 12 helps to dampentravel-related vibrations. Viscoelastic materials with different densityand hardness characteristics can be employed, but may require differentthicknesses.

The seating pad assembly 10 may be sold at retail stores (kiosks attransportation centers, kiosks at shopping centers, specialty giftstores, major retailers, etc), through catalogs (e.g. in-flightcatalogs), via television (shopping networks, infomercials, etc) or viathe Internet. The Internet transactions can be through a supplier's ownwebsite, other unaffiliated retail web destinations, mobile webdestinations, interactive outdoor sales via Bluetooth/Wi-Fi or touchscreen installations in public spaces. Additionally, the seating padassembly 10 may be sold, rented or otherwise offered to passengers inassociation with the offering of transportation services. For example,the seating pad assembly 10 can be offered and/or delivered topassengers after the passengers have passed through security clearancepoints at an airport, such as at duty free shops or as part of thecheck-in or seat selection process. Alternatively, the seating padassembly 10 can be rented for delivery to the passenger shortly prior todeparture and for pick-up from the passenger shortly prior todisembarking. The cover assembly 14 may be removed and cleaned aftereach such rental. Still further, the offering of the seating padassembly can be tied to frequent flier programs. Thus, the seating padassembly 10 can be offered to passengers with a specified level offrequent flier status (e.g. gold, platinum, etc.). Similarly, theseating pad assembly 10 can be purchased or rented with frequent flierpoints or miles, and the purchase or rental of the seating pad assembly10 can be used to trigger certain frequent flier benefits, such aspoints or related products or services.

While the invention has been described with respect to a preferredembodiment, it is apparent that various changes can made withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as defined by the appendedclaims. In this regard, different length, width and thickness dimensioncan be provided in accordance with the preferences of the traveler andthe dimensions of the seat.

A rectangular seating pad assembly 10 offers several cost efficienciesand carrying efficiencies. However, nonrectangular pads can be provided.For example, notches can be provided at areas where seat belts extendfrom the seat. Additionally, areas that will be adjacent the knees andlower legs can be narrower than areas adjacent the hips or shoulders.

Still further, the extreme lower portion of the seating pad assembly 10can be configured to articulate more easily. Thus, a well defined hingeline may be defined substantially adjacent the flap 34 near the bottomend of the seating pad assembly 10. The flap 34 can be formed by anentirely separate piece of viscoelastic foam material that may beinserted into an entirely separate pocket of the outer cover 18 of thecover assembly 14.

Straps 20 with a VELCRO attachment were illustrated in the preferredembodiment. However, other forms of straps can be provided for holdingthe pad assembly 10 in a rolled condition. For example, strapsconfigured to be tied in a knot may be provided or straps with a simplebuckle can be provided.

The pad assembly 10 may further be provided with structure forreleasably affixing the pad assembly 10 to upper portions of the backsupport 106 of the seat 100. These attachments features can be straps,snaps or the like.

These variations and others will be apparent to persons skilled in thisart after having read this disclosure.

1. A transportation seat assembly, comprising: a seat having a hip/thighsupport secured rigidly to a supporting surface on a transportationvehicle, a back support hingedly connected to the hip/thigh support andmovable from a fully erect condition to a condition reclined relative tothe hip/thigh support, at least one gap being defined between thehip/thigh support and the back support to accommodate hinged movementtherebetween; and a seating pad assembly removably positionable on theseat, the seating pad assembly including a viscoelastic foam cushionhaving a bottom surface facing the seat, a top surface opposite thebottom surface for supporting a traveler, a width slightly less than awidth defined by the transportation vehicle seat and a length at leastequal to a length of the hip/thigh support and the back support measuredin directions substantially perpendicular to the hinged connectiontherebetween, the viscoelastic foam cushion of the pad having a densityand hardness selected to permit portions of the viscoelastic foamadjacent the bottom surface to flow into and conform to the gap betweenthe hip/thigh support and the back support to define a convex lowerconformal area nesting with the gap, and the viscoelastic foam cushionof the pad further having firmness, resiliency and thicknesscharacteristics so that a concave upper conformal area caused by weightof the traveler is spaced sufficiently to support the traveler acrossthe gap and above the hip/thigh support and the back support, theseating pad assembly further comprising a cover assembly substantiallysurrounding the viscoelastic foam cushion and being sufficientlystretchable or loose to permit substantially unimpeded deformation ofthe viscoelastic foam cushion into the gap of the seat.
 2. Thetransportation seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the viscoelastic foamcushion has a thickness of at least one inch.
 3. The transportation seatassembly of claim 2, wherein the viscoelastic foam material has adensity of approximately 5 lb/ft³.
 4. The transportation seat assemblyof claim 2, wherein the viscoelastic foam cushion has a hardness ofabout 10 N.
 5. The transportation seat assembly of claim 4, wherein thecover assembly comprises an inner screen layer substantially permanentlydisposed in surrounding relationship to the viscoelastic foam cushion.6. The transportation seat assembly of claim 5, wherein the coverassembly further comprises an inner cover removably disposed insurrounding relationship to the viscoelastic cushion and the innerscreen layer.
 7. The transportation seat assembly of claim 6, whereinthe cover assembly further comprises an outer cover removably disposedin surrounding relationship to the inner cover.
 8. The transportationseat assembly of claim 7, wherein the cover assembly further comprises aplurality of straps extending from one end of the outer cover and havingclosure means for securing the seating pad assembly in a rolledcondition.
 9. The transportation seat assembly of claim 8, furthercomprising a carrying bag dimensioned for receiving the viscoelasticfoam and the cover in the rolled condition, the carrying bag having acarrying strap.
 10. The transportation seat assembly of claim 1, havinga width of between approximately 16-20 inches, having a width of between16-20 inches and a thickness of at least approximately 1 inch.
 11. Thetransportation seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the viscoelastic foammaterial has a density in a range of approximately 3-8 lb/ft³.
 12. Thetransportation seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the seat assemblyincludes a leg rest articulated in proximity to the hip/thigh supportwith a second gap defined therebetween, the seating pad assembly havinga length sufficient to extend continuously across the second gap andonto the leg rest.
 13. The transportation seat assembly of claim 12,wherein the seat further includes a footrest selectively extendable fromthe leg rest, the seating pad assembly including a flap selectivelyfoldable relative to remaining portions of the seating pad assembly forselective placement on the footrest.
 14. A transportation seat assembly,comprising: a seat having a hip/thigh support secured rigidly to asupporting surface on a transportation vehicle, a back support hingedlyconnected to the hip/thigh support and movable from a fully erectcondition to a condition reclined relative to the hip/thigh support, atleast one gap being defined between the hip/thigh support and the backsupport to accommodate hinged movement therebetween; and a seating padassembly removably positionable on the seat, the seating pad assemblyincluding a viscoelastic foam cushion having a bottom surface facing theseat and a top surface opposite the bottom surface for supporting atraveler, the top and bottom surfaces being spaced apart to define athickness in a range of 1 inch-1.5 inch, the viscoelastic foam cushionhaving a width slightly less than a width defined by the transportationvehicle seat and a length at least equal to a length of the hip/thighsupport and the back support measured in directions substantiallyperpendicular to the hinged connection therebetween, the viscoelasticfoam cushion of the pad having a density in a range of 3 lbs/ft³-8lbs/ft³ and hardness selected to permit portions of the viscoelasticfoam adjacent the bottom surface to flow into and conform to the gapbetween the hip/thigh support and the back support to define a convexlower conformal area nesting with the gap, and the viscoelastic foamcushion of the pad further having firmness, resiliency and thicknesscharacteristics so that a concave upper conformal area caused by weightof the traveler is spaced sufficiently to support the traveler acrossthe gap and above the hip/thigh support and the back support, theseating pad assembly further comprising a cover assembly substantiallysurrounding the viscoelastic foam cushion and being sufficientlystretchable or loose to permit substantially unimpeded deformation ofthe viscoelastic foam cushion into the gap of the seat.
 15. Thetransportation seat assembly of claim 14, wherein the viscoelastic foamcushion has a hardness of about 10 N.
 16. The transportation seatassembly of claim 15, wherein the viscoelastic foam material has adensity of approximately 5 lb/ft³.
 17. The transportation seat assemblyof claim 16, wherein the viscoelastic foam cushion has a thickness ofapproximately 1 inch.
 18. A transportation seat assembly, comprising: aseat having a hip/thigh support secured rigidly to a supporting surfaceon a transportation vehicle, a back support hingedly connected to thehip/thigh support and movable from a fully erect condition to acondition reclined relative to the hip/thigh support, at least one gapbeing defined between the hip/thigh support and the back support toaccommodate hinged movement therebetween, the gap having a width of atleast 1 cm and a depth of at least 1 cm; and a seating pad assemblyremovably positionable on the seat, the seating pad assembly including aviscoelastic foam cushion having a bottom surface facing the seat, a topsurface opposite the bottom surface for supporting a traveler, a widthslightly less than a width defined by the transportation vehicle seatand a length at least equal to a length of the hip/thigh support and theback support measured in directions substantially perpendicular to thehinged connection therebetween, the viscoelastic foam cushion of the padhaving a density and hardness selected to permit portions of theviscoelastic foam adjacent the bottom surface to flow into and conformto the gap between the hip/thigh support and the back support to definea convex lower conformal area nesting with the gap, and the viscoelasticfoam cushion of the pad further having firmness, resiliency andthickness characteristics so that a concave upper conformal area causedby weight of the traveler is spaced sufficiently to support the traveleracross the gap and above the hip/thigh support and the back support, theseating pad assembly further comprising a cover assembly substantiallysurrounding the viscoelastic foam cushion and being sufficientlystretchable or loose to permit substantially unimpeded deformation ofthe viscoelastic foam cushion into the gap of the seat.
 19. Thetransportation seat assembly of claim 18, wherein the viscoelastic foamcushion has a density in a range of 3 lbs/ft³-8 lbs/ft³.
 20. Thetransportation seat assembly of claim 19, wherein the viscoelastic foamcushion has a thickness in the range of 1 inch-1.5 inch.
 21. Thetransportation seat assembly of claim 20, wherein the viscoelastic foamcushion has a hardness of about 10 N.
 22. A transportation seat assemblycomprising: a seat having a hip/thigh support secured to a supportingsurface on a transportation vehicle, a back support pivotably coupled tothe hip/thigh support and movable from an erect condition to a recliningcondition relative to the hip/thigh support, at least one gap having awidth and depth of at least 1 cm defined between the hip/thigh supportand the back support; and a removable seating pad assembly comprising aviscoelastic foam cushion of a single density viscoelastic materialhaving a bottom surface supportable by the seat and a top surfaceopposite the bottom surface for supporting a traveler, the viscoelasticfoam cushion having a width no greater than a width defined by thehip/thigh support and the back support and a length substantially equalto or greater then a length of the hip/thigh support and the backsupport measured in a direction substantially perpendicular to the gap,the viscoelastic foam cushion having a density in a range of 3 lbs/ft³-8lbs/ft³ and a hardness whereby portions of the viscoelastic foam cushionadjacent the bottom surface in response to the weight of the travelerflow into and conform to the gap to define a convex lower conformal areanesting within the gap, and the viscoelastic foam cushion havingfirmness and resiliency characteristics and a thickness in a range of 1inch-1.5 inch whereby a concave upper conformal area caused by theweight of the traveler is spaced sufficiently above the underlyingbottom surface of the viscoelastic foam cushion to support the traveleracross the gap, the seating pad assembly further comprising a coverassembly substantially surrounding the viscoelastic foam cushion andbeing sufficiently adaptable to permit the viscoelastic foam cushion toflow into and conform to the gap to define the convex lower conformalarea.
 23. The transportation seat assembly of claim 22, wherein theviscoelastic foam cushion has a hardness of about 10 N.
 24. Thetransportation seat assembly of claim 23, wherein the viscoelastic foamcushion has a density of approximately 5 lb/ft³.
 25. The transportationseat assembly of claim 24, wherein the viscoelastic foam cushion has athickness of approximately 1 inch.
 26. The transportation seat assemblyof claim 25, wherein the viscoelastic foam cushion has a width ofbetween approximately 16-20 inches.
 27. The transportation seat assemblyof claim 26, wherein the cover assembly is sufficiently stretchable orloose to permit the viscoelastic foam cushion to flow into and conformto the gap to define the convex lower conformal area.